Player: Gareth Young

Born the son of an indentured farmer just north of Bristol, Thomas Hobbes never showed much aptitude for agriculture. By the time he was 16 however he had discovered where his true calling lied; finding that his loud mouth, quick mind and large stature made him extremely adept at obtaining money from people through the strategic application of intimidation, deception or simple violence. By the time he was 20 years old he was the leader of a small band of brigands and there was a fair sized price for the capture of "Black Thomas". When eventually he was caught and brought to trial he was allowed to escape the gallows on the condition that he accepted military service instead.

Over the course of his service Hobbes somehow got religion. The company's original chaplain, Father Edward Fletcher, made it a personal project to try to somehow redeem the pattern of the obnoxious thug now in his charge - however this religious education was never to be completed as Edward Fletcher died attempting to stop a drunken brawl between Hobbes and a couple of Italijan crossbowmen (because Hobbes accidentally stabbed him).

Hobbes was promoted to Sergeant in 1102 after that investiture of Cooper (the previous Sergeant) as Captain. He is extremely vocal in his dislike of those who invoke the dark aspects of the ancestors. He also makes no particular secret of his dislike for the Lions, whose decadence he blames for the suffering of many good Albiones (including the death of his own elder brother, who fought for the Harts at the time).

• "Sergeant Thomas Hobbes, your lordship sir. Theif an' a murderer. Magistrate said so, your lordship sir."
• Piers: "Mr Hobbes, I hope you have no intention of murdering those people!"
  Hobbes: "Not me your lordship sir. Magistrate says to me, Thomas he says, murderin' people is bad but soldierin's good. So beggin' your lordship's pardon I'm just off to 'soldier' those people."
• "I'm no good at duelling but I can just go and kill him if you want."

Player: "Jebbo"

Born into a bowyer / fletching family, Jacob spent much of his early life helping his father & uncle in either their workshop or out in the woods helping select trees. When not working he could usually be found with his twin brother William practicing their tracking/foraging (read as poaching) skills.

It was whilst the twins were on one such training trip that a fire swept through Yately killing dozens of people including the twin's family. With nowhere to go and no money the twins had to scrape a living doing whatever jobs they could; be that as labourers or caravan guards. Eventually their travels brought them into contact with Sergeant Aaron Cooper who persuaded the two young men to enlist as fletchers and foragers.

It was during a routine foraging mission in Italia that William and Jacob where ambushed by local brigands and William was fatally wounded. Despite Jacob's best efforts, William died of his injuries before the rest of the unit could come to their aid. Now the only thing resembling a family that Jacob had was the company.

REPUTATION: Jacob has become increasingly quick to start (and finish) trouble, and seems to take more risks than he used to. (The late) Father Fletcher put this down to the loss of his brother, and had started to tutor Jacob to focus his energies on keeping his ancestor's name alive. It was thus only after the death of his twin that Jacob joined the company's religious beliefs. He believes that it is William's pattern which guides him now and gives him the power to heal others (so that he will not be helpless in the face of a dying man again).

• General Audeley: "Four stells to the man who shoots that offi ... TWANG! THUD! ... cer. Well done Jacob!"
• "Only the one boar tonight lads."

Player: Dave "Elvis" Elder

Young and idealistic volunteer in Italia. Running from foe after some daring escapade slips and falls some distance. Is left for dead by pursuers. Crippled by his injuries he lies there for several days before Company scouts are attracted by the crows. Injuries (and botched attempt to heal himself) leave him with limited mobility and prevent him using either sword or bow to any great effect. Honourable discharge from previous regiment. Instead becomes a healer in an effort to pay off the debt he believe he owes to those who saved him in Italia. Whole exprience strips away what idealism he once possessed and leaves him prone to cynicism and morbidity.

Player: Helen Prior

Charlotte Emily Taverner, daughter of Robert Taverner, a retired member of the Company of the Black Boar. Robert, who served under Henry Audeley, retired from service when his wife, Anne, passed away. Her death left him alone to care for his three children, his daughter Charlotte Emily, and his two sons Christopher and Jonathan. He returned to his family's tavern in Norhault, "The Archer's Quiver", where he settled down with them.

Robert passed away six months ago, in November 1102, leaving Charlotte in charge of the tavern. Before his death though we was pleased to find that the Company had been assigned to Norhault, and often frequented his tavern, allowing him to relive a lot of memories. Charlotte, who although enjoyed working in the tavern, often wished that she could spend time following the Company around, getting a bit more life experience. Now that she is the owner of the Archer's Quiver she is able to do so, especially now that she feels her two brothers are of a more responsible age.

Player: Anne Stokes

Born the youngest child of Harold and Gladice Jackson, Louise grew up tough. She was brought up mainly byher three elder brothers since Gladice died soon after Louise's birth. The family owned a small farm and worked hard but were content enough. Content that is until the local Lord Frederick Gilmore died and his son Eldrick took over governing of the lands. Eldrick had neither the wisdom or the paitence of his father and the new young Lord, eager to increase his power base begun feuding with his neightbours in an attempt to gain more land. The hostilities spread and bitter battles between feuding nobles were fought. The Jacksons didn't care much for politics or who was Lord of their lands but were drawn into the fight as their farm lay on the boreder between two nobles holdings.

After much bitterness, and in an act of supreme stupidity, Eldrick ordered his men to set fire to his neighbour, Lord Madlock, family home. The attempt failed but Madlock was enraged and decided to settle the conflict once and for all. The Jackson's farm was nearest and first on the firing line. Harold and his lads fought valiently to hold off the attacking army of men, as they vandalised and burnt the farm that was their livelyhood, but were overcome. Harold and the two eldest boys were killed. Adam and Louise survived but were both injured and sought sanctuary in the local honestry where they were eventually nursed back to health.

With the farm ruined Adam decided enough was enough and he travelled north to live with his cousins in Linconshire, but Louise swore a blood oath of vengence on the men who had done this to the family. Although brought up tough play fighting three elder brothers and working the land, Louise was far from ready to take on the men who worked for Lord Madlock. Assuming the name "Louie" and masquerading as a man Louise joined The Company to learn to soldier (and to take the chance to leave home and try to forget the appauling fate of her family). Although Trooper (the company physician) eventually discovered her subterfuge, it was not before "Louie" had taken the company's sacred oath and bound herself to them in life, death and beyond.

Player: Ian Palmer

Although Jonas doesn't talk much about his past it's believed that he's the bastard son of an unknown sailor and a prostitute. Abandoned as a child and grew up in the street and alleys of Londinium where he learned the skills to survive the city's darker parts. He has hinted that he spent much of his early years as a member of a gang and committed a variety of crimes to further his own ends.

Eventually he was captured along with a co-conspirator named Thomas Carlin and both were given the choice military service or hard labor. They chose the former. Whilst Jonas went into the navy and Thomas was assigned to the service of a nobles militia. Both went on to server in Italija where Thomas joined The Company of the Black Boar after the decimation of his own regiment at the siege of Fort Issimo. At that time Jonas worked on shore for the navy as a butcher.

Not long after taking the company oath however Thomas was killed in a drunken brawl with a gang of other soldiers. Jonas swore to make them pay and over the following week managed to find and kill five of his friend's attackers ... leaving skillfully dismembered bodies as a warning to the others. The Italijan provosts were quick to investigate the killing and to avoid multiple murder charges Jonas sought refuge with the only other people who had found any camraderie with Thomas - The Company of the Black Boar.

Player: Mary Green

Born in Kingfield, Megan was raised by her father, Adam Fletcher, and older brothers (George and Henry) after hermother's death. Adam Fletcher was a militiaman by trade and has served the community since his own youth. Under his tutelage Megan grew up learning to fight alongside her brothers.

When King Mark's army attacked Kingfield Megan was amongst the civilians evacuated but the militia - including her father and brothers - stayed to hold off the unliving for as long as possible and buy time for their families to escape. In the carnage that follows the militia is utterly decimated and a greiving Megan is left orphaned.

Angered that she never got a chance to fight beside her brothers she petitions the first officer she can find to let her accompany the troops back to Kingfield and find vengeance. Since The Company were assigned to both the evactuation and subsequently clean-up at Kingsfield fate would have it that that officer is Lieutenant Hugh Thurstan, who can't find it in his heart to refuse her request (or the attention of any other young woman, for that matter).

After the defeat of Mark's forces in the spring of 1103 (in one of the hardest battles in the company's history, and one during which Megan stood firm in the red and white) Private Fletcher was sworn in as a full member by General Audeley and Sergeant Hobbes, before the assembled faction.

Player: Mike Blinman

Orginally from Erin where his father was a brothel-keeper. On the run from something or other. We're still unclear on exactly who/what the "wee folk" are, but it appears that for some reason Hollister has some strange reverence for any faerie under 3' tall.

Full biography to follow.

• "Ye don't wanna be messin' with the wee folk!"
• "Dark incantors? ... GOBSHITE!!!"

Player: Mark Gregory

Woodsman from an Erin family.

Full biography to follow.

• "Hollister... just hit him in the groin!"
• "Sorry Captain... I didn't realise it was an ambassador. The axe just fell out of my hand."

Player: Ben Mars

Biography to follow

Player: James Crolley

Born to a well to do merchant family in Londinium Henry was a constant disappointment, as he seemed far more interested in scams, bars and girls than the family business. By the age of 16 Henry had been disowned by his family and was carving out a career as hired muscle for various colourful individuals.

Over the next 10 years Henry lost virtually all traces of his expensive education and gained several terms of imprisonment and a head injury that causes him bouts of amnesia. This idyllic existence ended when Henry fell foul of a bad tempered magistrate who did not see that knee capping bad debtors was a reasonable method of persuading them to pay up. Having been sentenced to a life of hard labour he was offered a chance to have his sentence bought off and join the Company by one of their recruiters.

Henry is now a confirmed career soldier and is fiercely proud of the fact that he has never been considered for promotion, special duties or anything much more complicated than guard duty.

Player: "Mungo"

Son of a village blacksmith, worked in his father's smithy from the age of 20, ran smith for father, who was suffering from the pox. He's competent craftsman - makes reliable and resilient goods - but nothing special;

At the age of 23 Eric was involved in a bar fight after someone mocked his father's illness. He flew into a drunken rage, broke one man's back over his knee and crushed the other's skull in his hands.

He was captured by the militia and was offered two choices - the gallows or the army.

REPUTATION: Extremely loyal to the unit but easily led and tricked. Will follow orders to the letter (eventually). In general, quite genial, but if angered, looses it.

• "Oh, I'm sorry your mum's ill, Tanner. 'Course I'll cover your watch. You just make sure she's all right."
• General Audeley: "Smith, you oaf! Get to your post!"
  Smith: "Yes sir … sorry sir … won't 'appen again sir… on my way now sir…" (salutes vigorously)
• "WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT MY DA??!!" THUMP! CRUNCH! SNAP!

Player: Matt

Christopher was always restless, and always less inclined to settle for a tavern in Norhault than his sister and brother. Before his father Robert's death, Christopher used to enjoy listening to his father's stories about Christopher's mother, and her exploits for the cause of Puck. Exploring his own talents in the name of Puck, Christopher decided that if he didn't get out of the tavern and into the wider world, either himself or his sister would kill the other within a fairly small space of time. So he chose to investigate life's potential whilst attached to the Company that had been such a big part of his father's life.

Player: Simon Hill

Born and raised on the Cymrijan borders Josiah is (unsurprisingly) the son of a thatcher. Having a nasty habit of enjoying playing with fire it meant he didn`t really fit in with his fathers business and after a nasty incident involving setting fire to the thatch he was mending Josiah fled his home at the age of 16 and headed further south.

Using the archery skills he was obliged to learn as a child he started working as a mercenary in various companies as a scout. Over the years he has honed his martial skills but his inability not to play with fire and his often blunt way of speaking has landed him in trouble with his superiors and stopped him from progressing in the units he has served in.

• This is a bloody stupid plan! Who in their right mind made that thug Hobbes a sergea ... CRACK! ... ouch!

Player: Matt Heath

Biography to follow

Player: Jane Crollie

Biography to follow

Player: Mark Fitt

Biography to follow

Player: Rich

Biography to follow